Wolters named Summit League Athlete of the Month

Courtesy: SDSU Sports Info Release: 02/07/2013 15:38:18

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ELMHURST, Ill - The Summit League named South Dakota State's player Nate Wolters as its January Male Athlete of the Month on Thursday for his contributions to the Jackrabbit men's basketball team in the month of January.

Wolters collects his first career Athlete of the Month honor after surpassing the 2,000 career point mark and leading South Dakota State to 28-straight home victories, currently the second-longest in the nation.

"It's surprising that this is the first time that it's happened, but I think sometimes people get used to Nate's numbers being so high that it can kind of lull you to sleep," head coach Scott Nagy said. "He's certainly deserving of it, and we hope that more honors are to come."

The senior guard scored his 2,000th career point on Jan. 17 in the win at Western Illinois, snapping the Leathernecks 11-game win streak and handing them their first league loss of the season with 22 points, five rebounds and six assists.

On Jan. 3, Wolters set the Jackrabbit school record for career free throws made while scoring 23 points with seven assists in the win at Kansas City. Two nights later, the St. Cloud, Minn., native set the school's career scoring mark in the win at South Dakota with 26 points.

For the month, the Jan. 21 Player of the Week, averaged 21.6 points, 5.5 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. He shot 48 percent (56-of-118) from the field and 85 percent (45-of-53) at the line as the Jacks went 7-1 and ascended to a first place tie in the standings during the month. Wolters was also named one of the final 20 candidates for the Bob Cousy Award and to the midseason top-15 for the John Wooden Awards on Jan. 10.